By Chisum                                             H.B. No. 3123
         76R7324 CAS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to authorizing the comptroller to provide certain
 1-3     information and assistance to school districts.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 403.020, Government Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 403.020.  SCHOOL DISTRICT PERFORMANCE [BUDGET] REVIEW.
 1-8     (a)  The comptroller may periodically review the effectiveness and
 1-9     efficiency of the budgets and operations of school districts.
1-10           (b)  The comptroller, in consultation with the Texas
1-11     Education Agency, regional education service centers, and other
1-12     educational organizations, may develop and implement a program to
1-13     provide school districts throughout the state with information the
1-14     comptroller has collected in conducting reviews under Subsection
1-15     (a) that would be useful to school districts in ensuring that as
1-16     much school money as practicable is used for classroom instruction.
1-17     In implementing the program, the comptroller may provide school
1-18     districts with research material, educational policy proposals, and
1-19     technical assistance.
1-20           (c)  The comptroller may develop handbooks and provide
1-21     training, an Internet website, and other services to school
1-22     districts to assist the districts in better managing district
1-23     finances and other district responsibilities.
1-24           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
 2-1     amended by adding Section 403.0201 to read as follows:
 2-2           Sec. 403.0201.  EDUCATIONAL POLICY PROPOSALS.  The
 2-3     comptroller shall provide to the legislature written policy
 2-4     proposals to address important educational issues as the issues
 2-5     arise.
 2-6           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-11     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-12     passage, and it is so enacted.